


Follow your lead

by Melacka



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-30 20:03:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13958976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melacka/pseuds/Melacka
Summary: Red had always assumed that he would be the one to initiate their first kiss. It would be the result of months of groundwork, careful hints and cautious courting. A gradual escalation of contact so as not to scare her off.He should've known that Lizzy would disrupt all of that.





	Follow your lead

Somehow he'd always assumed that it would be him to initiate their first kiss. He'd pictured an evening out, dinner at one of his favourite restaurants, maybe some dancing. He would certainly be wearing one of his better suits, probably that grey one that Lizzy had complimented him on once. Everything about their evening together would have been meticulously planned out by him. It would be the result of months of groundwork, careful hints and cautious courting. A gradual escalation of contact so as not to scare her off. He so desperately wants her to be comfortable around him, to welcome his presence in her life.

 

Of course, he should've known that Lizzy would disrupt all of that. He had barely progressed through the first phase of his plan when she shot it straight to hell. He had been trying to encourage more contact between them, innocent enough for him to back off again if she wasn't receptive. He would suggest meeting places that he knew she would like and lingered casually over coffee or suggested that they get something to eat. They'd discuss cases in her favourite park while going for a leisurely walk. He increased the frequency of his casual touches, as well. Never enough for it to be construed as anything other than friendly affection, of course. Sometimes she'd give him this look, like she knew exactly what he was up to and was mildly amused by it, but she never said anything. When he offered her his arm, she took it without comment. She smiled at him when he put his hand gently on her back to guide her through a door. She was even laughing openly at his jokes and stories, not just smiling in that way she used to when she didn't want to admit that she was enjoying herself.

 

So when he went around to her apartment one Wednesday evening, he had really only been hoping to move onto phase two of his plan: an increase in non-work related time together. He had been conducting meetings all day, one of which had been frustratingly unproductive, and he just wanted to see her. He didn't want to waste time going back to the safe house to shower, shave and change his clothes, so he told Dembe to drive straight there when his last meeting concluded around 6pm. He had information about a new blacklister ready just in case she reacted badly to his unexpected arrival. He needn't have worried. When Lizzy opened the door, she looked relaxed and happy. She's already smiling at him and he temporarily loses his train of thought.

 

"Red, what are you doing here?"

 

He takes a moment to wonder at the tone of her voice. Her question is merely curious, not accusatory or suspicious. He marvels at how far they've come.

 

"Well, Lizzy, I found myself with some free time this evening and wanted to see what you were up to."

 

"Oh, really? she replies with a teasing smile that Red finds absolutely delightful. "Well, I was just thinking about what I was going to eat. There's a new Thai place down the road that I've been meaning to try."

 

Red finds himself fighting to keep the shocked hope from showing on his face. Was she suggesting what it sounded like she was suggesting?

 

"I was just going to grab some takeaway and bring it back here, but if you'd like to join me than I'd be happy to dine in." She looks at him expectantly. "So, what do you say, Red? Would you like to have dinner with me?'

 

It is only the years spent preparing to be calm in the face of even the most unpredictable situations that saves him. He manages an approximation of his usual smile and murmurs, "Why, Lizzy, I thought you'd _never_ ask."

 

She looks at him with what he has decided is _fond_ exasperation and steps back from the door, beckoning for him to enter.

 

"Give me a few minutes to get ready and we'll head off."

 

He crosses the threshold and removes his hat, not quite believing the turn this little experiment has taken. She closes the door behind him and starts walking towards her bedroom, tossing a casual, "Make yourself at home, Red," over her shoulder.

 

He wanders into her living room, dropping his hat next to her purse on a table as he passes. She's only been living in her current apartment for a few months and is still clearly deciding on how to decorate it. It's a comfortable room but is only minimally furnished, there aren't many personal touches that show Lizzy lives here rather than anyone else. There is only one framed picture on display and he moves toward it, curious. He smiles as he picks it up, recognising the picture of her and Sam.

 

"That was taken just before I left Nebraska."

 

He turns to see Lizzy behind him, smiling as she looks at the photo in his hand. He looks back down at the photo as well, noticing how much younger she looks in it. It wasn't all that long ago but so much has happened since then, he wonders if she misses the young woman in the photograph, if she regrets who she has had to become.

 

"It's one of my favourite photos," she continues as she steps up to stand next to him. "It's always the first thing I put up in a new place. It makes it feel like home, you know?"

 

Red doesn't say anything in response, just nods his understanding as he returns the frame to its place on her desk. He turns to look at her again, expectant this time.

 

"Do you want to get going? Or is it too early for you?"

 

Red smiles gently at the sudden note of uncertainty in her voice, pleased that he's not the only one thrown by the shifting dynamic between them.

 

"I'm ready when you are, Lizzy."

 

"Oh, I think I'm ready now, Red." She grins at him as she speaks, all traces of uncertainty gone. He smiles back at her and gestures for her to lead the way. She grabs her purse and hands him his hat with a smile. "Would you prefer to walk or drive?"

 

Red would almost always prefer to drive but the idea of a quiet stroll with Lizzy is definitely appealing. It also has the added benefit of prolonging their evening together.

 

"I'm quite happy to follow your lead, Lizzy."

 

Liz makes a small considering noise as she closes the door behind her, checking carefully to make sure it's locked.

 

"Well, I have been enjoying our little walks together. Especially when they lead to food."

 

"You have?" He tries to make it sound teasing but is afraid that it mainly sounds disbelieving.

 

"Of course." She threads her arm through his and starts walking towards the front door of the building. "I just like spending time with you."

 

"I enjoy spending time with you, too."

 

She ducks her head a little and he's charmed to see a slight blush on her cheeks. It amazes him that she could still be so flustered by something so simple. He'd tell her every day just what she means to him if he thought for a second that she'd let him, or that she'd ever believe him.

 

"Will Dembe be joining us?"

 

"That's up to you. He will accompany us to the restaurant, of course, but whether he stays with us is your decision."

 

She laughs as he reaches to open the front door for her.

 

"Careful, Red, all this reckless compliance from you might start going to my head."

 

"I'll make sure to include some token resistance soon," he says, chuckling. "Just to set your mind at ease."

 

* * * * *

 

Their walk to the restaurant in uneventful. Dembe maintains a discrete distance and Red lets Liz talk and talk. He's a little too caught up in the fact that _Lizzy_ asked _him_ to dinner to really focus on the conversation, a lamentable lapse in concentration that he fully intends to chastise himself for later. For now, he just wants to watch her speak, enjoying the way her voice just flows over him. When they arrive, Red is quietly relieved to see that there are no free tables large enough to accommodate the three of them comfortably. He waves Dembe off before Liz can come up with a creative yet inconvenient solution.

 

"Can't we just–"

 

"It's fine, Lizzy."

 

"But there are two tables–"

 

"Dembe's quite happy over there, Lizzy."

 

"But Red–"

 

"Token resistance, Lizzy."

 

She glances over at Dembe again and he smiles at her as he seats himself at a table facing the door. She shakes her head ruefully and moves to her own seat, finally conceding defeat. Red briefly laments the fact that the restaurant is too crowded for him to easily pull her chair out for her. It would be ridiculous and awkward to even try but he would still rather that he could do it. Liz, seemingly unaware or, more likely, unconcerned about his inner conundrum, is happily perusing the menu. Red seats himself as a harried-looking waitress drops a bottle of water and two plastic cups heavily on the table. He pours water for them both, determined to do the gentlemanly thing in _this_ at least.

 

"So do you want to each get our own meal or do just want to share a couple of things?" Lizzy asks, still looking eagerly at the menu. Red carefully considers his own menu and quietly enjoys the thought that Lizzy wanted to share food with him. Would wonders never cease?

 

After some debate over the relative merits of rice over noodles and a brief discussion regarding spice-tolerance, they end up ordering far too much food for just the two of them. Red smiles across the table at Liz as the waitress takes their menus and walks away.

 

"What made you want to try this place, Lizzy? I was under the impression that you were more inclined towards Chinese food?"

 

"I just thought it was time for a change. I've gone past this place a few times and–" Liz pauses, looking a little uncomfortable.

 

"And what, Lizzy?" Red prods gently, placing his hand next to hers on the table. An invitation, should she be so inclined. She takes a deep breath and places her hand over his.

 

"There wasn't any particular reason, Red. I just thought it would be nice to try it and there isn't anyone I'd rather try it with than you." He basks briefly in the glow of her smile before a teasing light enters her eyes. "Well, you and Dembe. Such a shame that you sent him into exile like that."

 

"I do apologise, Lizzy. I just find that over time I have become even less-inclined to share your company with others. Terribly selfish of me, I know."

 

"Appalling selfishness, really." They grin at each other and Liz slowly strokes his hand once before removing it entirely from his and placing it back in her lap. "I guess I'll just have to ask Dembe out by himself next time."

 

"You can certainly try but I have this strange feeling that Dembe is going to be frightfully busy in the coming days, weeks, months even."

 

"Well that's a shame. I guess that means that we're stuck with each other for company."

 

"It's beginning to look that way," he says with a mock conciliatory shake of his head.

 

"I can think of worse fates, Red.'

 

Red is saved the trouble of trying to find an appropriate response through the thundering in his ears when the first of their many plates of food arrives. He watches the waitress with no small measure of satisfaction as she arranges their plates carefully on the small table. They've ordered far too much food, they're either going to have to stay here for hours to finish it all or they'll need to take half of it away with them. Red hopes it's the former.

 

* * * * *

 

It turns out to be somewhere in between. They do end up sitting in the restaurant for over two hours but they still need to pack up some of the food to take with them. Red is still feeling a little shell-shocked about how well the evening has gone when Liz motions to the waitress for the bill. Their conversation has flowed freely, devoid of the awkward pauses that can mar a first date. The evening has been curiously unromantic on the whole, it could easily have passed as a dinner between friends. Two _good_ friends who enjoy exchanging flirtatious banter, but just friends all the same. In fact, if it hadn't have been for the very deliberate touches that Lizzy has been bestowing on him throughout their conversation, Red would have assumed it _was_ just dinner between friends. Now, as he feels her bump her knee against his under the table and smile broadly when he visibly starts in surprise, his returning smile is decidedly flirtatious.

 

"May I see you home, Lizzy?"

 

"You may."

 

They rise from the table and Red leaves enough money to cover their meals and probably those of half the other patrons as well, but he doesn't stop to check. They make their way to the exit, moving awkwardly in the small gaps between tables. Dembe meets them at the door, opening it for them with a smile.

 

"Did you enjoy your meal, Dembe?" Liz asks once they're all on the street again.

 

"Yes, thank you, Elizabeth. And you?"

 

"Oh, I loved it." She turned to smile at Red. "I've been looking forward to trying this for ages."

 

Normally there are few things Red enjoys more than time spent with Elizabeth and Dembe but right now he just wants his dear friend to disappear into the night. He catches Dembe's eye and tries to telegraph his thoughts to him but Dembe just raises his eyebrows and smiles innocently back.

 

"Is there anywhere else you would like to go, Elizabeth?" Dembe asks, touching her shoulder lightly so that she would turn to face him. Red narrows his eyes, suddenly suspicious. "There must be some places nearby where we could all sit together."

 

"Well, I did miss your company at dinner."

 

"And I yours."

 

Red really doesn't see the need for them to be smiling at each other like that. Really. Quite ridiculous. He's almost positive they're doing this to provoke him.

 

"What do you say, Red? Liz finally turns back to look at him. "Would you like to join Dembe and I for a drink? I know you must be disappointed that they didn't have any wine at the restaurant."

 

Red glances behind Liz to where Dembe is smirking openly at him now, making no effort to hide his amusement. He would have to devise some fitting punishment for the way he has deliberately hijacked his first not-quite-a-date date with Lizzy.

 

"Or," Liz continues, drawing the word out and taking a step closer to him, "would you prefer to just walk me home?" She reaches out to trace a hand down the lapel of his suit jacket. The breath catches in Red's throat. It's not even a special suit, just what he happened to be wearing that day. He wishes it were the grey one.

 

"In this, too, I will follow your lead, Lizzy." He places his hand over the top of hers where it is still rests on his jacket. "Though I feel that I should remind you that you have already said that I may see you home."

 

"Well, Dembe and I can always have a nightcap at my place anyway. I think I even have some of the scotch you like." She smiles innocently up at him. "That's probably a better idea, right, Dembe?"

 

Oh yes, they're definitely doing this to provoke him. Red glances from one smirking face to the other and tilts his head slightly as if in consideration.

 

"Would you like me to leave you two alone?" He keeps his tone as dry as he can manage and he drops his hand from hers. "Give you a chance to catch up?"

 

"Oh no, Red. I wouldn't like that at all." Liz takes another step towards him, they're so close now that their chests are almost touching. "No offence, Dembe," she tosses carelessly over her shoulder.

 

"None taken, Elizabeth."

 

"I don't mean to tease you, Red," Liz begins and then laughs at the disbelieving look on his face. "Well, that's not strictly true. I fully intend to tease you, Red, and I'm sure we'd both enjoy it."

 

A snort from Dembe draws Red's notice temporarily away from Liz's face. He glares at his friend.

 

"However," Liz continues forcefully and Red's eyes snap back to her face, "I invited _you_ out tonight, Red. It wasn't Dembe who came to my door, it was you."

 

"So I win by default? If he had come to your door–"

 

"I would have asked him where you were, of course. And it's not a competition. It's a choice." She tugs a little on his jacket to emphasise her point. "It's my choice."

 

"What do you choose, Lizzy?"

 

"You, Red," she whispers, leaning in. "I choose you."

 

When her lips touch his, his eyes widen slightly in surprise and then slide shut. A sound of pure pleasure and relief escapes him that he will probably be horribly embarrassed about later, but it really can't be helped. Kissing Lizzy wasn't anything like he'd imagined it would be. Lizzy kisses him slowly, with one hand clutching his jacket and the other still holding their leftovers from dinner, the bag pressing awkwardly against his leg. Red never would have thought that Dembe would be there when he kissed her for the first time, a wide grin on his usually stoic face. He's just wearing a normal suit and they ate in a perfectly normal restuarant, there had been no dancing, no seduction, no wine, no music. It was just them, finally crossing that line they had drawn in the sand so long ago. And here they were, kissing in the street like people who weren't constantly under attack, like they have nothing in the world to be afraid of.

 

No, it's nothing like he imagined.

 

"Take me home, Red."

 

It's perfect.


End file.
